Signed by Governor Ralph Northam

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that rescinds the mandate for a witness signature on absentee ballots during states of emergency.

Highlights:

• Defines "mail" as delivery by a commercial delivery service, but not delivery by personal courier service or another individual (Sec. § 24.2-707-1).

• Requires a voter to do the following in the presence of a witness if they receive a mailed ballot (Sec. § 24.2-707-1):

• Open the sealed envelope marked "ballot within"; and

• Mark and refold the ballot without assistance and without making known how he marked the ballot.

• Requires a voter to do the following after marking their absentee ballot (Sec. § 24.2-707-1):

• Enclose the ballot in the envelope provided for that purpose;

• Seal the envelope;

• Fill in and sign the statement printed on the back of the envelope in the presence of a witness, who shall sign the same envelope;

• Enclose the ballot envelope and any required assistance form within the envelope directed to the general registrar; and

• Seal that envelope and mail it to the office of the general registrar or deliver it personally to the general registrar.

• Specifies a voter's failure to have a witness sign the absentee ballot return envelope for any election held during a declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease or public health threat will not be considered a material omission and will not render his ballot void (Sec. § 24.2-707-1).

• Requires the Department of Elections to convene a workgroup to consider and evaluate alternatives to the witness signature requirement for election officials to use to verify that an absentee ballot has been cast by the voter identified as having requested and received the absentee ballot (Sec. Sec. § 24.2-707-2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that rescinds the mandate for a witness signature on absentee ballots during states of emergency.

Highlights:

• Defines "mail" as delivery by a commercial delivery service, but not delivery by personal courier service or another individual (Sec. § 24.2-707-1).

• Requires a voter to do the following in the presence of a witness if they receive a mailed ballot (Sec. § 24.2-707-1):

• Open the sealed envelope marked "ballot within"; and

• Mark and refold the ballot without assistance and without making known how he marked the ballot.

• Requires a voter to do the following after marking their absentee ballot (Sec. § 24.2-707-1):

• Enclose the ballot in the envelope provided for that purpose;

• Seal the envelope;

• Fill in and sign the statement printed on the back of the envelope in the presence of a witness, who shall sign the same envelope;

• Enclose the ballot envelope and any required assistance form within the envelope directed to the general registrar; and

• Seal that envelope and mail it to the office of the general registrar or deliver it personally to the general registrar.

• Specifies a voter's failure to have a witness sign the absentee ballot return envelope for any election held during a declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease or public health threat will not be considered a material omission and will not render his ballot void (Sec. § 24.2-707-1).

• Requires the Department of Elections to convene a workgroup to consider and evaluate alternatives to the witness signature requirement for election officials to use to verify that an absentee ballot has been cast by the voter identified as having requested and received the absentee ballot (Sec. Sec. § 24.2-707-2).

Full Bill Text